In an effort to be more ecologically-friendly, over the last few years many people have started riding bicycles to work and using them for short distance travel. This has forced bicycle designers to make the design more attractive and light weight. Many companies have already started replacing the heavy metals in bicycles with carbon fibre. But an Israeli researcher, Izhar Gafni, has designed a totally cool and innovate bicycle which is made from an even lighter material – cardboard.

Typically like most other great innovations the first prototype of his cardboard bicycle design was a failure. It looked unattractive and therefore failed to fetch investments. But his determination to design the next prototype resulted in an innovative and pleasing design.

Izhar Gafni says that he was inspired by origami when he designed the second prototype. The finished prototype is attractive in design and comes with an added advantage in that it can completely withstand moisture making it 100% water proof.

Even though it is made of entirely cardboard you can peddle the bicycle without having the dreaded thought that it may break into pieces whilst riding. This bicycle can withstand weights up to 140kg making it usable for every member of the family.

Recent research reveals that manufacturing a typical bicycle will emit 500 pounds of greenhouse gases but on the other hand every time you ride it the “emission per mile” reduces which nullifies the 500 pounds sometime in future.

This cardboard bicycle will be a pioneer for future bicycle design and will be suitable for all age groups with a recycling option. Most regular bicycles are generally made of light weight plastic, steel and rubber which is generally non-recyclable and also expensive to produce. Over time most of these bicycles become unstable because of damage or they become age-inappropriate, hence they are thrown out becoming landfill and polluting the soil.

Being recyclable holds an important part in the cardboard bicycle’s design plus it only weighs around 7kg. To top it off, Izhar Gafni believes that manufacturing one unit will cost around 12$ but it could be made available for 9$ during mass manufacturing.

Certainly a mode of transport most of us could afford and a winner for the environment too!